JUMP! version 1.0 is released. :)

Enjoy this 'jumping' although Jack doesn't have a horse. >:( :( The horse probably rescued by SandyBean?! ;)

If it was a Green and White Speckled Horse that you think Jack may have fallen off of, yes...... we had one of those arrive last week into the horse rescue, named "Jumping Jack"  !!!   ;D    [smiley=lolk.gif] [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Seriously though,  I am Really looking forward to this new Mansion of yours AquaMat,  all your creations are truly challenging and lead to lots of my Jack's "MisAdventures"   ;)

Have a good weekend everybody,

SandyBean [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

Green and white?? Good name though  ;D

Off to start Jumping now  :)

Great to have a new mansion - even though it is HARD!  But, I seem to be stuck in Room 16499 - once I get the green key I cannot get back to the green door in the next room without dying.  Is this a Jack Stuck, or am I missing something... :(

Hi Matari!
There isn't any JS here. It is just difficult. Maybe very difficult.

Thanks, Missy !

For you and anybody else who might have problems with the super-hard jumps I have one small hint  (Attention: Spoiler):

The secret is not only to use the 7 and 9 keys, but also to tiptoe forward as far as possible (from the safe ground) before jumping.

Missy, the way I do it (and I just mastered this recently) is I use the 7 and 9 on the NUM pad on the right side of the keyboard. For example, if jumping left, I hit the 7 just a fraction of a second before i hit the space bar. Usually works very well.

Good luck.7

Hi aquaMat

This is the Ultimate of Hard Mansions.......It's Extremely Nerve Racking!!!  
We deserve a medal for completing this Marathon. Or at least a Vacation! hee, hee.
I finished and I'm calling the Guinness World Book of Records!  
LOLOLOL

Wooot ??

You have finished already.....and beaten it ??!

Well, this really deserves some kind of medal or at least a big round of applause....!!

Did you find all secrets ?    8-)

Yep, Yep & Nay

Yep.....finished the game
Yep..... FOR THIS PARTICULAR GAME, WE DO DESERVE A MEDAL....OR A REST HOME TO RECOVER.......lololol
Nay.....I did not find all the secrets......only around 68? %, but I need to convalesce before trying again.   lolol

This game is definitely a nerve racker.  It left me so frazzled, adrenaline overdrive and now when I play the other mansions, they seem like a piece of cake compared to this one.  
Thanks to Semi-Native, she explained that I had my settings messed up.  She helped me figure out the 7 & 9 jump.  With out her help, I would have never figured it out.
Whew, I'm still trying to recover......lololol

GREAT DESIGN, COLORS, LAYOUT, STRATEGY......GREAT MANSION...GUARANTEED TO GIVE YOU A HEART ATTACK!  LOVE IT.  BETTER THAN THE HIGHEST ROLLER COASTER.  

To the KING of S & M.  [smiley=tekst-toppie.gif] [smiley=dankk2.gif] [smiley=beer.gif]

This is the 'coup de grace' for jumping skills. Fantastic! (been watching fencing at the Olympics!)

Thanks, Sheryl !

That's the reason why I chose to simply name it JUMP! instead of the more descriptive names I normally use.....

The name might not be as imaginative as - say - Discotheque Of Doom, but it pretty much sums up what the mansion is about.

However, in the last third of the mansion the "jumping theme" takes somewhat of a backseat....to avoid becoming boring, and there are some reminisces of "Underground Fortress" and "The Four Tubes" to keep up the player's interest!

I'm glad most players seem to like this mansion, even if it's occasionally on the very hard side....   ;)   8-)

Hi AquaMat,

I played Jump again, from scratch.  The very 1st jump is still a killer.  Real tough to master.  This time I got even less secrets (60%), as I gave up trying to go down torturous column at the very bottom.  Even if I did.....I still can't figure out where the other secrets are.  I get so caught up trying to make the jumps...I forget to look I guess.  I guess I'll have to play it all over again.....God Help Me!  lolololol

This is one game you can't get bored of!  My heart is still racing.  Can't seem to get that adrenalin in check while playing,  Very intense game.  LOVE IT, THANK YOU!

Hi everybody!

Wow! What a hard Mansion! (and you say that some of my rooms are hard!!! ;D)
Very exciting as well, thank you AquaMat, and "bravo"!
Terribly sorry to "put a cloud" on it, but isn't there a JS in 16296?...
(see Jack's feet on top- right of the attached picture, I came here with the pink mov.-platform).
Surcouf.

---

Wow! I tried that but stayed on the platform. Why did you jump there???? You should have died in the lava! At least you should be able to and reappear where you entered the room.

Yeah, what Rose said is exactly what I feel...and how I intended it to be.

For those players "stupid" enough  ;) (or of such an "over-exploring mood") to jump up there, I thought the lava was enough to let 'em die....and be reborn on "safe ground".

How on earth did you manage to end up there alive ??   :-/   :o

I'm not sure if that really "qualifies" as a JS..... ?!

LATER:  I just re-checked my design of that room. I know now how you managed to end there alive. On purpose I had designed the rightmost tile (unit) of the upper lava (right above the moving platform) in Layer 5, as opposed to Layer 4 where the rest of the lava is.

The reason for this was, that I wanted to avoid that players who take the platform up would get killed simply because the top of Jack's head touches the Layer 4-lava. (If lava is placed in Layer 5 it is not lethal).

Since all other tiles are Layer 4 normally a player who jumps up there almost always gets killed (as Jack is "wider" than 1 tile), so this should be enough. It was a design compromise (a rather clever one I might add  ;)) that I had to make.

But somehow you managed to really land in that one tile of lava that is not lethal.....BUT: even the tiniest move you'll make would result in death.....

And therefore I rather leave that like it is.
But thanks for telling me !

Actually, there are 2 JS in one... There is more good reason to get there (image 2) but stuck as well.. IMHO, easy to fix. The mov.-platform need to be stopped raising at the level of the floor where money is, and this square brick which I am standing on has to be removed.
S.

---

I take the freedom to plead in general (so not only about JUMP!, which is a nice mansion btw) to avoid Jack-stucks, Half Jack-stucks and Cheap-deaths. Independant from the question if it is easy or difficult to repair. And also independant from the obvious-typical question: why did Jack go there.

As designers I truelly believe that we need to be on the alert for this type of mistakes, because they are very very very annoying for any player that encounters them. When a player is in a rarely good shape ;), it is  :-? and ::) and also  >:( and  :'( when you have to offer a Jack-life by suicide or even worse to quit the game. [smiley=thumbdown.gif]

Speaking for my self, I always felt ashamed when I created such error, but meanwhile liked to thank any reporter of my bugs and enjoyed the challenge to correct my mistake in a way as neat as possible.

I must say that I second Freddy's opinion.  However, in the end it is always the designer's call.

Is the jump in 16298 really possible? It seems like I don't even come close.

Hi nancygevans

Read below......maybe it will help you.


Semi-Native wrote on 18.08.2008 at 03:51:02:

Missy, the way I do it (and I just mastered this recently) is I use the 7 and 9 on the NUM pad on the right side of the keyboard. For example, if jumping left, I hit the 7 just a fraction of a second before i hit the space bar. Usually works very well. Good luck.7

@ Freddy and brell:

Usually I am absolutely of the same opinion as you two, regarding JS's (and I'm usually very thankful if they're reported)....and I guess you know that.

In this very case, however, I really have problems counting this as a real JS (at least the first one reported, with the lava, for the obvious reasons I explained above).
More about that below.

The second one mentioned above by Surcouf is new to me....and is indeed a Jack-stuck of the evil kind.
This one is easy to repair and I will do so later today. It will be fixed in the next UD.  (Thanks for reporting it, Surcouf).

Now to the lava situation:

@Surcouf and everybody else:

Unfortunately what you say is not true:  that first "JS" can not be easily "repaired" by making the platform stop at the lower height you indicate.

Why not ?
Because the platform is hidden "inside" the rightmost red square block BEFORE it is activated.....(so as to not immediately give away that there is a platform at all and secondly, for design reasons).

Therefore it is NOT possible to insert a "STOP block" lower in its path, because that would mean the platform wouldn't go down all the way in the first place !

If you are really so keen on seeing this fixed, the only thing I can offer is to make the last unit of the lava into Layer-4 instead of Layer-5 (see my post above).
BUT: This will have the downside that almost every player will lose a life there if he doesn't take care and jumps very early, due to Jack's head coming into contact with Layer-4 lava.
I think this is an unacceptable disadvantage, especially as it will look rather strange....for if it happens it will look like Jack drowning in lava in mid-air (as the "drowning in lava-animation" will appear lower than were the lava really is).

Please, I can only reason with you..... this will eventually lead to more unwanted deaths as the 1 percent or so of players who accidentially end up there "stuck"...plus...it'll look ridiculous !

See Pic below:

---

Thanks Missy, I've been using that but I guess my technique needs work! BTW, are the purple key and coins at the top of 16298 supposed to be accessible from that room?

Thanks everyone!
Nancy

A few hours later:

Dear friends.....

I found a solution that eliminates the pseudo-JS (lava), without the downside of the "top-of-the-head-in-lava-death", and still doesn't mess with my room-design !!!
In fact the room will look exactly like it did before.....  8-)
(Of course the 2nd JS (red block) is also taken care of !!).

I'm really proud of that.....because now all sides will be satisfied !  

I'm sending the UD to the admins a.s.a.p.

nancygevans wrote on 25.08.2008 at 00:17:46:

Thanks Missy, I've been using that but I guess my technique needs work! BTW, are the purple key and coins at the top of 16298 supposed to be accessible from that room? Thanks everyone! Nancy

Hi Nancy,

yes....both the coins and the key will be accessible from within this room when you do all "steps" correctly.

I'm sure you'll soon find out.....   ;)   8-)   :)

aquaMat wrote on 25.08.2008 at 00:20:43:

... I found a solution that eliminates the pseudo-JS (lava), without the downside of the "top-of-the-head-in-lava-death", and still doesn't mess with my room-design !!! In fact the room will look exactly like it did before.....  8-) ...

That is exactly what I meant. The challenge to correct things in a superb way. Thx for figuring this out! [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Release of the update will be for tomorrow.

OK I need a hint. Is the first step to jump the big gap? If so, I'm in trouble. I inch out as far as I can and jump with the 7 key and the jump key but I don't ever make it. I'm frustrated!

what room number are you in?  click command + D for room number when you are in a room if you want someone to help.  

Nancy!

Are jumping to the right or the left?
Use 9 key when jumping to the right! no use to use any other jump key at the same time.

It is a very, very difficult jump!!!!

I'm in room 16298. But I've figured that the jump is down below, not up above, correct?

If you find the secrets, then you will know which way to jump.
Start in the room to the left of the one you are in.
Good Luck

Yep!

If you really, really don't want (or can't afford) to abort the game, here is a somewhat cumbersome way to solve JS's:

- The stuck Player explains to the Designer where he is stuck. A snapshot is most efficient. He then suspends the game.
- The Designer creates a 'fixed' mansion where he adds whatever is needed for Jack to come unstuck: extra ladder, platform, etc. He sends the Fixed mansion to the Player.
- The Player replaces the Original mansion with the Fixed one (the names must be the same!), resumes the game - and now Jack can use a ladder or platform or whatever to get unstuck.
- Then the Player must again suspend the game and replace the Fixed mansion with the Original version. Jack is not stuck anymore, and the extra ladder, platform, etc. have disappeared again!

Of course it's not perfect but it can help reduce frustration.

[smiley=bath.gif]

Thanks everyone, room 16298 is now behind me! btw I wasn't really trying to jump right with the 7 key, I meant 9! But my technique is now vastly improved. Onward!

I now need help in room 16499. I can get the green key and go to the bottom left to trip the platform in the room next door, but I can't figure out how to get back to the upper left and into the room with the green door. Hint please?

Thanks!
Nancy

ATTENTION SPOILER:

Nancy,

you get out of Room 16499 on the exact same way you came into it, by jumping from the middle left "ledge".
This is the only possibility, really.

BTW, there's a little trick involved in how you get back onto that middle left ledge....but I'm sure you'll find that one out.  8-)

Alright ?

It's the trick that I can't figure out. I thought something might be above in the ceiling, but jumping up didn't work. I'm stuck.

Once again, as soon as I posted I figured it out. I know that trick, why didn't I think of it?? Thanks!

Now now, where is the "exhausted" smiley? My hair went all white from playing that mansion! aquaMat, I will never believe you again when you say about a mansion room that it is "too hard" ;)

The worst jump, to my mind, was the very long one from ghost platform to ghost platform (curiously enough, I lost only 8 Jacks there). I forgot the room number, sorry.

---

My deepest apologies to you, Toybox, and all the others for including so many "nasty spots" in this mansion....   :D   ;)  8-)

However, I think with your 86 % secrets you are right at the top of the field at the moment.

I have to admit that even I, when playing my own creation, often end up with only 97 % secrets and about 98 % of the max. money.....

BTW, lately I re-played a few of my older mansions.....for the first time since testing and perfecting them. And I found it's a totally different experience. Having forgotten most of the details, I can then  - for the first time really - evaluate how hard they must be for everybody else....  ;)

Actually, most jumps are sort of allright, only a few are really hard and stressful (when they involve moving stuff and you don't have time to tiptoe to the edge and calculate the jump).

On the nice side, the mansion also provided some hitchcock moments, when Jack has no life left and has to be extra careful while looking for some saving point. It happened to me when I had to climb down some tubes just before the last save. (It's those moments when you get sad to face one of the jumps described above.)

It is nice to replay your own old mansions, it is a feeling not unlike discovering them for the first time indeed! And you end up cursing and shouting at yourself for hiding the secrets too well, too ;)

By the way, I experienced some 'slowing down' problems as you say in the info bit, but, amusingly enough, not with lava but with the flying heads. It felt like a slow motion in the movies  :D

Yeah, I left that in deliberately as kind of a surprise effect.

Interestingly, it doesn't happen on my big Mac (G5, Dual 2.0 GHz), but on my smaller G5 (1.8 GHz processor) it does.
But this smaller computer had also a few problems with the all-lava room at the beginning, which was not so nice....therefore I mentioned that in the info.

@ everybody:

BTW, the new update (Version 1.2) has been sent to the admins a few days ago.

Once it is released I strongly recommend all players to upgrade and trash the older version(s).

Hi aquaMat,

I'm thoroughly enjoying (!) Jump, but it is oh so challenging. Your designs are really awesome, how do you come up with this stuff. I'm working on the next section of Catacombs, and it's very hard for me to come up with something interesting. Can you give me some tips on your design process?

Thanks!

Hi Semi-Native,

you probably won't believe it, but THE FOUR TUBES is the only one of my mansions that I have actually pre-planned (to a certain extent) by sketching the overall layout on a sheet of paper.

All others, including JUMP!, were done more on impulse or in a "stream-of-consciousness-kind of way" than careful planning.

I don't know why, but this method seems to work for me. Only very rarely, when the creative juices are not flowing at all, can this method result in something akin to "writer's block"..... ("builder's block", probably   ;)).

That probably doesn't help you much with the problem at hand, I'm afraid.

One other possible method is to think of an overall "theme" first  (e.g. brell's Pirate Ship, or my "Discotheque") and then start building according to that theme.
However, this method won't be working with Catacombs, necessarily, as it is a "shared mansion" and doesn't really feature a theme.

Bizarrely, my Catacomvs section was the fastest thing I ever built, took me only 2 days or so....but don't ask me why.
I probably was on a roll that day.

If you need any specific designer tips, don't hesitate to email me.

Hi AquaMat,

I just finished your fantasmagic mansion "Jump" and it was great !!!  Loved the upside down levers, and all the tough spots, it took up most of my spare time for the last few days, and was always something to look forward to.  Really enjoyed the last section btwn save #7 and exit, where  it was a true expedition!  Keep up the great mansion building, and thanks again!

SandyBean [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

---

Thanks a lot, Sandy,

for your nice remarks about JUMP!
I'm glad that you enjoyed it..... and congratulations on your pretty good
result....with 82 % secrets.

You mentioned the upside down levers....yeah, I'm pretty proud of them, too..... I always like to have one or two small innovations in a mansion.

I loved your mansion too, and almost finished it. Can't figure out how to get the last yellow key on the far right side of 18896. Hint please? Thanks for your great work, it's really fun!

Nancy

Hi Nanxy,

there's a little trick involved in getting the yellow key you're talking about.

I'm sure if you think about it for a while, you will find out....  while you're thinking let Jackl do a few workouts.

;)    8-)

Very clever!